# The ghost who wanted the remote

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-ghost-changes-tv-channel
- Themes: acceptance, humour, control, compassion
- Life situations: family disagreements, sharing space

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A Perth family told Ajahn Brahm that while they watched TV the channel kept changing by itself; each time they changed it back, it changed again. They concluded a ghost in the house wanted to watch its own programmes — and it always won. They didn't try to exorcise it: they bought a second TV just for the ghost.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

people were telling me actually there is this place in Perth I won't say who is I'm not sure if they're there this evening they were telling me that they were watching the TV just a family and every now and again the channel would change it just automatically so they get the remote control they change it back again few seconds later the channel will change again you know what the cause was they found out it was a ghost there was a ghost actually in the house and the ghost wanted to watch a certain channel on the TV and the ghost doesn't need remote control they can just do it by themselves so if they wanted to watch the footy it doesn't matter what you want to watch that's what they would watch they want to watch a movie or a soapie then that's what the ghost would do and you so try and turn it back again but they would turn it back no no they won every time it was true so you know what they did they know how they solved the problem they didn't try to exercise the ghost they just bought another TV and that was for the ghost it's true that's what they did obvious solution so it's compassion and can't you respect these things you don't try and control them so they got one TV especially for the ghost in the house so the ghost can watch whatever they want and you can watch what you want

## Teaching point

Compassion and accommodation instead of control.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A Perth family's TV kept changing channel by itself, so rather than fight the ghost, they bought it its own TV. Ajahn Brahm loves that solution. Controlling ourselves the same way just makes us tense. In meditation and in life, stop fighting for the remote. Make peace with this moment, and with yourself.

## Source

- [How To Be A Happy Hermit | Ajahn Brahm | 15-01-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx7n5CpmWRM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 30:34 to 31:55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx7n5CpmWRM&t=1834s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Buddhism and Ghosts | Ajahn Brahm | 10 March 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9fga9-6vFM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 43:03 to 45:28: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9fga9-6vFM&t=2583s
- [Real Teacher | Ajahn Brahm | 20 May 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4NRqix7-xU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:23 to 26:28: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4NRqix7-xU&t=1523s
- [Chanting | Ajahn Brahm | 6 May 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9TRG8soYQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:33 to 26:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9TRG8soYQ&t=1533s
- [Meditating under the Mango Tree | Ajahn Brahm | 4 July 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaf-tp43W4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 35:34 to 38:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaf-tp43W4&t=2134s